Safari West And Save Yourself A Flight To Africa
Those unexpectedly upside down moments in life, like seeing the Golden Arches among the pagodas of Beijing, can be fun and very reassuring, especially when traveling with kids. But when it's the reverse -- finding the exotic in the familiar -- it can be unsettling. So when we first heard there was an African safari camp outside Santa Rosa, California, we were skeptical... and a bit suspicious. A...
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Mines and Meadows ATV – RV Resort, Wampum, Pennsylvania
Not a conventional umbrellas-in-your-drink resort, Mines and Meadows is a rough-cut, rough-riding gem for ATV enthusiasts in the hills north of Pittsburgh... and a real family vacation find. Mines and Meadows, the vision of entrepreneur and motorsports aficionado Robert Svihra, is a self service “resort” for fans of dirt bikes and UTVs. Family members who are already motorheads will...
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Budget Family Suites Hotels At Universal Orlando Resort
A few years back we reviewed the plans for Universal Orlando Resort's first budget hotel and, during our recent stay at the Cabana Bay Beach Resort, it exceeded all expectations. This fun, 50s or mid-century modern style style hotel grants the same one-hour early park admission to the "Wizarding World of Harry Potter" themepark or the new Volcano Bay waterpark as its pricier on-site...
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Santa Sightings Guaranteed to Bring Holiday Cheer
No matter how old you are or how skeptical you may be about Santa Claus and his role in the winter holidays, it seems that everyone enjoys seeing him on their holiday travels. Thanks to our colleagues in public relations, we can share some of his more exceptional appearances. They’re so much fun, in fact, that you may want to vacation alongside him. And for those who prefer a staycation,...
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Resources For Family Camping Vacations
An enthusiastic family camper, let me share some resources for planning your next big USA camping trip, whether in a tent, RV or cabin, at any time of year in or outside the national parks. Thousands of families go camping every year in North America, and over half of those visitors are children under 18 (the rest are usually still kids at heart). With that said, most campgrounds have adopted...
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Mystic – Connecticut’s Playground
Mystic, Connecticut has all the ingredients for a great family weekend: schooners and whalers, clippers and dinghies at Mystic Seaport; dancing dolphins and dashing sea lions at Mystic Aquarium; a children's museum in Niantic; hiking, biking fishing, and other activities galore plus a whole spectrum of kid-friendly places to stay and kid-favorite places to eat. Family...
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All American Thanksgiving Celebrations
A Thanksgiving recipe for fun: FTF's A-Z guide to local events marking the settlers' gratitude, from traditional eats to marathons. Thanksgiving, the quintessential American holiday, was first celebrated in 1621 by the pilgrim settlers to show thanks for the bountiful harvest that would see them through the long winter. Throughout the years, we have continued the tradition by enjoying feasts with...
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Making Lemonade on an Emergency Airport Layover
I got a pound of lemons: an air traffic delay in Fort Lauderdale, a flight cancellation, being rerouted to Chicago O’Hare, an accident at LaGuardia, emergency airport closures, and a snow alert that forced me to spend 26 hours at an airport hotel. If not for that, I might never have “made lemonade” in Rosemont, Illinois home to Chicago's O'Hare Airport. Seemingly a suburb...
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Manhattan Movie Madness: New York’s Film Locations
Walking around Manhattan on a cold and windy day in December is not how I wanted to spend a Friday morning with a friend from out of town. But, during her weekend visit from Toronto, Michelle (being the television and movie buff that she is) was very eager to finally see all of the buildings, restaurants and street corners that she's come to know and love from movies and TV shows. So we...
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A Branson Christmas for the Whole Family
If your hometown has been letting you down in the Christmas jollies department, a trip to Branson, Missouri can’t help but get you in the mood to make merry. Starting in November, the Branson Christmas shows (and there are 100 of them in 50 theaters) shift to Christmas-themed performances, and you’ll see big production numbers all dressed up in tinsel, stars, Santa hats and glittery...
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